Guild Wars 2

I’ve stuck up for these a little bit here and there, 1/2 heartedly.

I just found one in a game willing to do some testing with me, and they are actually pretty ridiculous.

I’m not sure if they’re balanced in the grand scheme of things for 5v5, but they definately aren’t WELL balanced. Just because something has a counter doesn’t mean it doesn’t ruin a lot of other builds on other classes that would have been nice to play, but that you now can’t because they get killed too fast.

The only amulet options for most classes against this are Clerics, Soldier, or Shamans.

Why did Ranger Great Sword and Spirits both get nerfed into useless puddles of bad almost immediately yet this has gone on for so long?

I PvP on a Necromancer, Guardian, Ranger, Engineer, and Warrior.

I’ve died to backstab, but never in the extreme ways people complain about on here.

I never build glass cannon.

You’re right ryston,

just because something has a counter doesn’t make it balanced. And that’s why the build is getting a nerf.

That said, considering the amount of QQ you read on these boards about Backstab, only one in maybe 20 Thieves I come across actually played an all-out glass cannon Backstabber. The Bleed builds seem to be far more popular.

Glass cannon aspect IS balanced.
The way the combo functions ISN’T.

Dee Jay.2460:

You’re right ryston,

just because something has a counter doesn’t make it balanced. And that’s why the build is getting a nerf.

That said, considering the amount of QQ you read on these boards about Backstab, only one in maybe 20 Thieves I come across actually played an all-out glass cannon Backstabber. The Bleed builds seem to be far more popular.

Bleed builds are becoming more popular because of the dev post saying there was going to be a nerf to backstab, at least thats my understanding of it. With the current reputation of changes it looks like they will probably move thief to a burstless class entirely based on DPM and not DPS. It also just so happens that with gearing and benefitting traits, the condition thieves are the tankiest, and have to be since all they got is bleeding which can be cleansed way too easily.

The real problem is not the thief by himself. I can win them in 1v1 easily because they are one trick ponies. But since they move pretty kitten fast between points they can finish you in a second while you 1v1.

I am specced in a way i am more a holder than a glass canon and i’ve been hit for 7k backstabs + 5k steal + 6k of the rune. 18k is 3/4 of my hp in a second no class can kill me that fast. Worst thing is that it’s a surprise attack so i can’t react to “look i am going to be in a 2v1 situation, escape, cover, use this”

The main issue with backstab is that it’s a stealth attack. You have no REAL way of knowing when/where its coming. You can guess, but guessing means that if you’re right, you’re lucky.

Its getting a nerf for a reason. No attack should be dealing that kind of damage without a tell. Most people who have played a thief as well as other classes realize this. The ones that don’t agree with the incoming nerf are the bads that only play the OP class/build of whatever game they’re on.

I play guardain and mesmer in tpvp. I laugh at thieves. Actuatly my team doesnt calculate thieves. Necros are more a pain then thieves in tpvp

ilJumperMT.4871:

I play guardain and mesmer in tpvp. I laugh at thieves.

Alert the presses.

Infectious.4836:

Glass cannon aspect IS balanced.
The way the combo functions ISN’T.

The major problem I have with thief glass cannon is that it isn’t nearly has glass cannon as other classes are when they go for glass cannon. With so many stealth, the ability to chain stealth, and the ability to reset the backstab combo so effortlessly if it misses the first time or two, a thief isn’t nearly the same type of glass cannon as say any other fully offensive class.

The problem is if you put a glass canon thief against a glass canon of another class, well you won’t get a fair glass canon fight because the thief will kill the other glass canon in one opener.

5 minutes a go. Two dancing daggers 9.8K. I have 3079 toughness. I hope that was just a coincidence…

sami.3801:

5 minutes a go. Two dancing daggers 9.8K. I have 3079 toughness. I hope that was just a coincidence…

3079 toughness? Tell me your secret. My bunker ele can get absolutes of about 25-2600. Do you have like 4 health or something?

Paracidic.5821:

sami.3801:

5 minutes a go. Two dancing daggers 9.8K. I have 3079 toughness. I hope that was just a coincidence…

3079 toughness? Tell me your secret. My bunker ele can get absolutes of about 25-2600. Do you have like 4 health or something?

Pretty sure he meant armor. 3079 toughness isn’t possible, afaik.

I honestly wouldn’t have much of a problem with thieves if stealth weren’t broken. If they made it so stealth worked right, then thieves would be a high risk high reward glass cannon that could drop you fast, but also potentially die before their second stealth.

Yup, I meant armor.

I don’t really have a problem with thieves 1v1. But my main issue is that they have so many moves with “evade” tied to it. Therefore even if they are just mindlessly spamming the same ability, they are still evading dodging everything just because they’re attacking me. not to mention these same abilities have a combo finisher tied to it? That and thief needs to have and internal stealth cool down a long the lines of the other major and minor traits.